Billiard-table and the like.



F. HEPTON.

BILLIARD TABLE AND THE LIKE.

'APPLLGATION FILED FEB.15, 1905.

Patented 0611.27, 1908.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

M fisses:

W/MMJ 4 J m/6 g m, a /afl F. HEPTON.

Patented Oct. 27, 1908.

a sunnrs-snnr 2.

F. HEPTON.

IBILLIARD TABLE AND THE LIKE.

APPLIGAT'ION FILED FEB.16, 1905.

Patented Oct. 27, 1908.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFF oE.

FRANK HEPTON, WOOLWIOH, ENGLAND.

BILLIARD-TABLE AND THE LIKE.

To all whom it may concern."

Beit known that I, FRANK HEPTON, a subj ect of His Majesty the King of Great Britain,

' residing at 28 Upper Market street, Woolwich,

in the county of- Kent, in En land, have in: vented certaln new and useful mprovemehts in and in Connection with Bill1ardTables and the Like, for which I have made application for patent in Great Britain, N 0. 4,046,

- sheets of drawin s:Figure 1 is a perspec- 7 table Fig. 1.

tive view of a bil :ard table towhich my invention has been applied. Fig. 2 is a plan view of 1 the supporting frame of the billiard Fig. 3 1s a vertical sectional elevation of the frame as at and taken upon the line XX Fig. 2,. Fig.4 is a sectional elevation taken upon the line YY Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an enlarged part section similar to Fig. 3 but showing the slate bed of billiard table in position. Fig. 6 is an enlarged view partly in section of a corner of the supporting frame. Fig. 7 is a perspective view ofa box containing the ball controlling mechanism to be hereinafter described. Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the box with the door thereof removed to disclose the mechanism. Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the box or casing with the side and side door removed. Fig. 10 is a plan view of the box with the top removed. Figs. 11 and 12 are detail .views hereinafter referred to. Figs. 13, 14, 15 and 16 illustrate slight variations of the mechanism shown by Fi s. 8, 9, and 10. J

' y invention consists in providing chutes -or guides beneath ,the bed or playing surface of the table so that after the balls have been obtainedby the insertion of a coin or coins as described hereafter and during play are pocketed, they are conveyed to 'a receptacle accessible to the players for use again untilthe regulated number of balls have passed the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 16, 1905. Serial No. 246,645.

Patented Oct. 27, 1908.

mechanism provided for securing. prepay. e.

ment of the charges for the use of the tab For descriptive purposes I will take as an example the applicationbf my invention to a billiard table.

In Fig. 1 is shown a billiard table A arranged in accordance with my invention.

At that portion of the table known asthe balk end, I fix to theside of the supporting frame B, a box or casin 0 having a rear extending portion D whicfi as shown in dotted lines in Fi s. 2 and 3 projects beneath the frame B): pon such projecting portion D is supported the lower end of an inclined board E forming a bottom for the frame B, and removably connected at its opposite end by a I bolt F Fig. 3, so that it may be removed from the frame B without lifting off the slate playing bed G. Fi 5.

Correspon ing to the position of the pockets provided in the playing bed G, the

ame B is cut away and provided with rigid receptacles H which curve or are inclined downwardly towards the board E andproj ect a distance beyond the frame B suflicient as shown in Fig. 5 to embrace the pocket openings J of the slate bed G.

Adjacent to the middle and (relative to the ball: end of the table) the. top corner receptacles H, the inclined board E is provided with ribs KK and LL each pair of which converge as they approach the lower end of the frame but are not arranged to meet, and the former pair KK form a continuation of corner pieces MM.- The bottom corner rereason of their being some ce tacles H b P l deinclined board E are proheight from t vided with inclined chutes .NN shown more clearl in Fig. 6, and consisting of side members 5 having horizontalribs 0, adapted to deliver the balls from the receptacles .onto the board E without injury. As shown the corner pieces MM turn into the one sides of the chutes NN, while between the other side of the latter and the frame-B are connected guard or directing ribs PP for insuring delivery of, the balls to a circular aperture R formed in the front of the frame as at Fig. 3.

It will be seen referring to Fig. 5 that on a ball S being played into one of the pockets J of the slate or playing bed G, that the ball will fall into' oneof the rece tacles H and be delivered onto the incline board E either To prevent injury to the balls and avoid .un-

due noise the surface of the board E and inner surfaces of the receptacles H may be lined with a suitable resilient material, while to prevent interference with the proper passage of the balls, the receptacles H are prefthe chute 9 enters and is delivere erably arranged wider at the bottom than at the top, and the pocket openings J of the slate bed G are provided with rigid side pieces T Figs. 1 and 5 with or without the addition as shown in the former figure of net pockets V for the sake of retaining the resemblance ofthe ordinary billiard table.

When a ball is pocketed and conveyed in the manner described to the opening R, it

passes therethrough into the box or casing C already referred to and operates mechanism provided therein. As stated this box rei'erring now to the enlarged views Figs. 7-10 has a rear extending portion D. The front and side portions are respectively provided with doors C and D normally kept locked, the former of which is provided with a coin slot W, inspection aperture X, .and/ an aperture 1 giving access to the lower interior front portion of the box C.

Upon the back of the front portion of the box C is fixed a plate 2, having studs 3 and 4 formedthereon. Upon the stud '3 is loosely mounted a star wheel 5 having a suitable number of radial arms 6 (nine being shown in the drawings by way of example) and provided with a locking stud or projection 7 adapted to engage with the one end of a balanced locking lever 8 pivoted on'the stud 4 and having its other end projecting beyond a coin chute 9 fixed to the side of the box C, to which coin chute 9 a coin insertedin the slot W is delivered by a chute 10 fixed tothe inside of thedoor C and after passin down b a chute 11 through a slot 12 into the rear gart D of the box.

In order to slightly brake the movement of I the star or looking wheel 5, a suitable spring 13 fixed to the box C is arranged to bear thereupon as shown. I T

For coinciding with the hole R in the supporting frame B previously mentioned, a

circular aperture 14 is formed in thebox ad-,,

jacent to the locking wheel and situated just above the top of the rear portion D, while ust below said aperture 14 is fixed a bent frame or chute 15 which is shut oil from the accessible part 16 of the box by a sprin con trolled flap 17 pivoted at 18 and whic 1 can open downwardly only. Both the flap 17 and chute 15 extend nearly to the door U, andv the'latter opposite the aperture 14 is provided with a pad 19' against which the balls entering through the aperture 14 may impinge without liability to become damaged. As shown in Fig. 8 the side wall of the accessible part 16 is rounded.

In operation a billiard table constructed and arranged as herein set forth would for the game of billiards be provided with a set of three balls, which being inserted throu h the receptacles H would be delivered by t 1e chutes to the coincidental apertures It and 14 respectively formed in the frame B and box C. Assuming as shown by full lines in Fig. 8 that the locking lever 8 and locking stud 7 are in engagement, one or other of the arms 6 of the locking wheel 5 would effectually prevent the balls moving thereby until the stl ulated coin or coins be inserted in the slot 8V, whereupon by the said coin or coins falling upon the locking lever 8, this is deflected? and disengaged from the stud 7 as shown in dotted outline in Fig. 8, the coin or coins being then directed into the rear portion D of Gas beforedescribed. As soon as the locking wheel is released, the weight of each ball causes this to rotate a distance of one tooth and allows each ball to run down the chute 15, pass by the flap 17 (which would be depressed as shown) and travel round a semicircular path into the accessible ortion 16. Play may then be commence and as it proceeds each time a ball 'is pocketed and delivered to accessible portion 16 of the case or box 0 in the manner described, the locking wheel is rotated the extent of one arm or tooth until the lockin stud 7 is finally brought round to its ori a position and again engages with the 100 'ng lever 8 which after deflection is returned to position by gravity or by a sprin As soon as this engagement between the %ever 8 and stud 7 occurs, the next ball pocketed will not be delivered and cannot therefore be Figs'.'11 and 12 havin numbers from 1 up-' wards (accordin to t e number of the radial arms or teet 6 of the wheel 5) marked thereon, which numbers may as "shown by Fig. 7 be separably disclosed by a glass protected aperture X as the Wheel 5'is rotated by the passage of a ball thereby By varying the number oflocking-studsing relation to the teeth on the locking wheel, I can control the number of balls to -be ob-; tained by the insertion ofeach coin. or coins,-; while thenumber-ofcoins necessary to un-i lock the mechanism may be varied either by';

. increasing the weight necessary to deflect the locking lever or by .using :two -or more: locking levers with coin chutes for each, a plurality of said locking levers of course all engaging with one and the same locking stud.

In modification I may in lieu of-the star wheel 5 employ a ratchet wheel 21 Fi 13, and a pawl 22 engaging therewith, an carried by the upper end 22 of a counter-balanced or spring controlled lever 23 the lower end of which is formed'as or provided with a pan or receptacle 24. The lever 23 is pivoted to the box C at 25 and the lower end of said lever is arranged to be situated approximately in the position of the flap 17 of the previous arrangement, and similar thereto would ,only be capable of opening downward.

The ratchet wheel 21 would be provided with a locking stud '27 for engagin and being disengaged from the locking ever 8 as before described, and when disengaged a ball delivered through the o ening 1.4 of the box C would run down the c ute 15 and deflecting the lever 23 be delivered into the accessible portion 16 of the box. Such deflection of the lever 23 as shown by dotted outline in Fig. 13 would cause the pawl 22 to rotate the ratchet wheel 21 one tooth, and the return of the lever would. permit the awl to engage the next followin tooth.

en theballs have passed by the Iever-23 the pre-determined number of times, the stud 27 would engage the locking lever 8 and prevent further rotation of the ratchet wheel 21 and therefore any movement of the lever 23 until a fresh coin or coins be inserted.

Referring to Fig. 14 I may provide the locking lever 8 with a pawl 28 adapted when the lever 8 is deflected by a coin or coins as described, to engage a ratchet 29 attached to suitable clockwork (not shown) for carrying round the ratchet wheel when free, in the direction of the arrow. A spring controlled pivoted lever or flap 30 having a cam projection 31 is controlled by rod 32 working in guides 33, and engaging a stud 34 on the wheel 29. .A ball entering the aperture 14 in the box C cannot now pass the lever or flap 30, and as the ratchet wheel is only'placed friction tight on arbor 35 of clockwork, such ratchet wheel does not rotate while locked by the rod 32. When lever 8 is deflected by a coin or coins as described the pawl 28 rotates 29 a distance of one tooth, and moves stud 34 a similar distance thereby disengaging the rod 32, and permitting the lever or flap 30 to be deflected, and allow the balls to pass until the stud 34 is carried back to original position by action ofxolockwork, awhen itagain .locks the rod 32. By this arrangement a certain time may be) given for each prepayment and itzwillbe seen:that theinsertion of a number of coinsoneafter-the other would move the stud 3.4:fu-rther round-and thus give longerctimeiif. desired.

1T0 enablethe time'remainingfor play to be known before further payment will be necessary, a dial .36 marked as shown may be provided so that a pointer 37 connected to the ratchet wheel 29 and carried round thereby mayo 'erate as an'indicator in connection with t e dial, which similar to the marked disk 20 Figs. 11 and 12 may be arllgangecd'to be seen through'the door of the As a check upon the number of times the apparatus may be operated, the locking wheel, ratchet, or clockwork, may be arranged to actuate any well known numerating device. In Fig. 16 Ijhave shownfor -example the mechanism as at Fig. 13 arranged so that the stud 27 on the locking ratchet wheel 21, may each time the locking wheel 21 is moved round one turn or rev0lu, tion, engage with and deflect a pivoted well cranked lever 39 against the tension of a spring 40 which lever at its free end engages a slotted actuating arm 41, of, for example, a numerating device 42 of known ty e, and so causes a to and fro movement of t e arm 41 to take lace for operating the indicating disks. he spring 40 returns the lever 39 to position for a further operation by the next engagement of the stud. Q

Having now described my inventlon what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A coin freed attachment for billiard and like tables comprising in combination with the table having inclined chutes the casing (C), means forming a coin receptacle, an incline (15), and a flap dividing said casing into two compartments, the upper one having an opening in its back and the lower one an o ening in its front, the said casing being so ocated as to permit the passage of the playing balls from the converging point of a plurality of inclined chutes of the table through the opening in the said upper compartment onto the said incline (15), and coin freed means in said casing, adapted to prevent the balls from reaching the lower compartment of the said casing.

2. A coin freed attachment for billiard and like tables, comprising in combination with the table having inclined chutes a casing (C), means forming a coin receptacle, an incline (15) and a flap dividing said casing into two compartments, the upper one having an opening in its back and the lower one an opening in its front, the said casing being so located as to permit the passage of the playing balls from the converging point of a plurality of inclined chutes of the teible from reaching the lower compartment of the through the opening in the said upper comsaid casing. 1* Eertment onto the said-incline (15), means Intestimony whereofl a'flix my signature 7 eing provided at the base of the said lower in presence of two witnesses. i

5 oomgmrtment, constituting & semi-circular FRANK HEPTON.

trac for the balls, a .guide for directing the Witnesses: playing balls round said track and coin freed HENRY CONRAD HEIDE,

means in said casing preventing the balls ALBERT GEORGE BARNES. 

